Hand sewing/Embroidery Needles (16 types)

With hand embroidery and hand sewing, you are spoiled for choices – so many types of embroidery techniques, embroidery threads, embroidery fabric hand sewing methods, and embroidery needles.

And here is a lowdown on embroidery needles, too.

Needles always have numbers designated to them. A low number indicates a large needle (longer and thicker); Bigger the number finer (and most often smaller) the needle.

Whatever you choose from the list below to start your embroidery project, remember that the one you choose should have an eye which is 40% bigger than the thread diameter, otherwise your thread will start to break.

Different Types of needles

1. Sharps

These are general all-purpose needles used for hand sewing. They have a Round eye with a medium length. 

You will be using these needles in your dressmaking, to make bullion knots or french knots in counted work, smocking. Applique is another use.

2. Embroidery/Crewel needles

They have long narrow eyes with a very sharp point. They are of medium length. This is usually what we use as normal embroidery needles. They come in sizes 1- 10.

Needles with the number 6- 8 are the most commonly used needles. For lightweight fabric with two strands of thread number 7 needle is used

3.Tapestry needles

These needles have a blunt point and a large eye (Oval eye) – an elongated eye for easy threading, and a blunt point glide smoothly through the holes in your fabric, without splitting the threads. Sizes range from 13-28.

It is especially used for needlepoint, counted cross-stitch and counted thread embroidery. This is the best needle to use for counted cross stitch on aida fabric. 

Tapestry needles have different sizes. Smaller the number the larger the needle size. A number 24 needle is generally used for this embroidery. A simple guideline is to use a Size 24 tapestry needle for 11 -14 count fabrics; Size 24 or 26 tapestry needle for 18 count fabrics; Size 26 or 28 tapestry needle for 22 count and higher count fabrics.  If bigger needles are used for finer fabrics the holes will be big and make your embroidery look bad.

4. Beading needles

These are the needles used to string beads in bead embroidery. The small beads need a needle with a very small eye, so normal needles are usually out of question. Usually beading needles are very thin and long with tiny eye otherwise small beads would not pass through. You need long needles to string many beads.

Related post – bead embroidery stitches.

Sequins are also attached using these needles. Check out the post on 10 different ways to sew sequins

5. Chenille needles

This needle have large eyes and very sharp points. The eyes are large enough to accommodate ribbon and other thick yarn. Sizes 13-24 are generally used

Size 20 -22 needles are used for 4-9 mm silk ribbons. You have to ensure that the ribbon is not being crushed when passing through the eye of the needle.

6. Darning needles

These needles have very large eye and are suitable for threading bulky yarn and wide ribbons. The tip of the needle is slightly curved, making it easier to pick up stitches. These long sturdy needles have very sharp points .

These needles are suited for darning  and doll making.

 7. Quilting needles

These needles have long shanks and can easily penetrate through your quilt layers.They  are quite short with small, round eyes.  They make even small stitches needed for quilting and hemming.

8. Felting needles

These are L shaped sharp needles meant for repeatedly jabbing on felt wool

9. Canvas needles

These thick blunt needles are suited for use on plastic canvas. You can use these needles to join knitted fabric pieces as well

10. Bodkins

These are long thick and blunt needle (some times with sharp point)with a large eye. They are used for threading elastic, ribbons, and cords through casings. Here is a post explaining more about Bodkins.

11. Curved needles

These needles are also called upholstery needles. This curved needles are used to repair and mend usually upholstery weight fabric and gives almost invisible blind stitches. It is also helpful in reaching for seam which is impossible to reach with normal needles – for eg making the curved wraparound sleeve for a cup.

12. Leather needles

These are needles (Glovers) with a  sharp tip shaped like a triangle for cutting into thick leather.

Leather needles with longer triangular point at the end are called sail makers needles. These needles are ideal for thicker leather. Checkout this post on the list of leather sewing tools and supplies and tips on hand sewing leather.

13. Milliners needles

These are long sharp needles traditionally used in millinery trade. Nowadays they are used for making decorative stitches. This is the best needle to make long bullion knots which are used as embroidery stitches for flowers

14. Betweens needles

These are needles used for hand quilting, and fine needlework such as shadow work embroidery. They have sharp points, Round eye and a short length. 

15. Flat needles

These are used to embroider with plate metallic embroidery thread.

16. Self Threading needle

These are needles with a special groove in the eye, so that you can easily thread the needle . No more need of squinting or using any of the tricks for threading the hand needles 

What are the basic considerations when selecting the right needle for your embroidery project.

1. Fabric
2. Thread used ( ribbon, wool yarn, floss etc)
3. Type of embroidery work

Whatever embroidery you are doing like cross stich or ribbon embroidery or applique work if you use the right needle, you will enjoy the work a little bit more. Just imagine the frustration when you discover your needle refusing to pass through the thick fabric you have chosen to do the embroidery on or the seed bead getting stuck on your too-thick-for-it needle.

You can make a cute little needle book to keep all the needles safe from rusting inside a too crowded box. Here is the tutorial to make this easy-to-make needle book.

Checkout all the different types of hand embroidery threads you can use on your needles.

Related posts : How to make knots when sewing by hand to secure the thread.